Machine for charging sheet and tinplate bars into furnaces



T. V. ALLIS. DEC'D.

H. E. ALLIS, ADMINISTRATRIX. MACHINE FOR CHARGING SHEET AND TIN PLATE BARS INTO FURNACES.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- IZ'ALLzs,

' 6 6 mamas 5 6 7g 7 LVVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

T. V-. ALLIS, DECD.

H. E. ALLIS, ADMINISTRATRIX.

MACHINE FOR CHARGING SHEET AND TIII PLATE BA S INTO FURNACES.

.1,4O2;036 APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12, I918. Patented Jan. 3

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Ta'ams IZALLIE,

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

T. V. ALLI S, DEC'D.

E. ALLISI ADMINISTRATRIXJ MACHINE FOR CHARGING SHEET AND TIN PLATE BARS INTO FURNACES.

2, APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. 1918. Patented Jan 3,1922

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T. V. ALLIS, DECD.

H. E. ALLIS, ADMINISTRATRIX. MACHINE FOR CHARGING SHEET AND TIN PLATE BARS INTO FURNACES.

lsflzggssa APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12, I918- Patented 3,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

YEW/ms .17. A221 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

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renter" THOMAS V. ALLIS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANTA; HANNORA E. ALLIS ADMINIS- TRATRIX OF SAID THOMAS V. ALLIS, DECEASED.

IMAGE-ZINE FOR CHARGENG SHEET AND TINPLATE BARS INTO FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 3, 19.22.

Application filediOctober 12, 1918. Serial No. 257,902.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS V. ALLis, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in iv'lachines for Charging Sheet and Tinplate Bars into Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the art of charging sheet and tinplate bars int-o heating furnaces, and more particularly is adapted to be used in connection with a furnacehearth of certain construction, and a method of heating such bars, both of which have been invented by Thomas V. Allis and the description of which is set forth at length in the following U. S. patents, issued to him: Pair heatin furnace hearth, dated August 6, 1912, Number 1,034,858, and reissued under date of De cember 1 1, 1915, Reissue Number 14,032. Method of heating sheet-bars dated December 10, 1912, Number 1,046,933. Reference is made to these patents for a. full description of the advantages of the cast-steel hearth, and heat treatment method, both of which are used in connection with this present invention.

In the present invention, I employ a furnace hearth having angular grooves, a. movable charging table having similar and corresponding grooves adapted to support a collection of piled sheet or tinplate bars, and a. travelling bar pusher. having a movable head with teeth formed comple mentary to the grooves of the charging table or truck so that when the teeth of the bar pusher head are brought into alignment with the grooves of the charging truck, and the furnace hearth, a full transverse collection of the bars can be simultaneously advanced into the grooves of the furnace hearth by the operation of the pusher head, as will be more fully brought out as the description proceeds hereinafter.

Another feature of the present invention is by using a movable charging truck, and a traveling bar pusher, both of which operate transversely on tracks along the charging ends of a series of parallel positioned heat ing furnaces. A single charging truck and bar pusher may be used to serve a plurality of such furnaces.

The ease and facility attained by such a bar pusher is used in front of each furnace,

In a modified method'of charging the sheet and tinplate bars, stationary charging tables are used, one in front of each of a series of the furnaces, and asingle traveling bar pusher is used to operate in front of all of the charging tables consecutively, and in this way only one bar pusher is required in order to serve a plurality of the heating furnaces. /Vhile the use of the stationary charging tables is not so advantageous as with a movable charging truck, yet the time saved in gang charging, and the facility in operationgained is considerable even in the case of this modified method of charging the bars into a series of furnaces. v a

In another modification shown herein, a stationary charging table and a stationary which last modification in some instances has also proven a desirable feature of the invention. I V

These and other advantages will be more fully set forth in the specification hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification I have shown one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, and modifications thereof, disclosing the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view on line 1-1 of Figure 2showing a series of pair heating furnaces, a charging truck, and a bar pusher adapted tobe used in carrying out my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 taken on line 22 of the Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of the bar pusher shown in Figure 1 taken from the right of same.

Figure 4: is an end view of the bar pusher taken from the left as indicated by the line l4l; of Figure 1. I Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section ofthe sheet and tinplate bar pusher taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1, and verticallythereof.

Figure 6 is an end view of the charging truck taken on line 8-8 of Figure 1.'

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the pair heating furnace shown in Figure 1, taken on line 7-7 of the same.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of ,a portion of the bar pusher head and sup port taken on line 1-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the charging truck, with a part of the bar pusher head in operative position thereon, and taken on line 1()-1O of Figure 1. p l

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectionalplan view showing a locking device used with my invention, taken'on line 11-11 of Figure 4t.

Figure 12 is a side view of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a side view of a special concave washer shown on the left in Figure 14, taken on line l3-13 of same.

Figure 14 isa side view of a pair of complementary concave and convex washers used with my invention, shown in approximately relatlve operativeposltion with respect to each other.

Fi ure 18 is a diagrammatic plan view of a series of pair heating furnaces, a series of stationary charging tables, and a traveling bar pusher adapted to carry out a modified form of my invention.

Figure 19 is aside elevation similar to Figure 2 showing a stationary charging table and stationary bar pusher in a relative operative position with respect to a heating furnace.

In the drawings I have shown in the Figures 1 to 15 inclusive types of heating furnaces, movable charging table or truck and traveling bar pusher, with details thereof, suitable to illustrate the mode ofcarrying out in the preferred form my method of charging sheet and tinplate bars into heating furnaces. In the Figures 16, 17 and 18 stationary charging tables and an arrangement offurnaces are shown, adapted to the carrying out of my invention in a modified way in which a movable pusher serves a series of furnaces each provided with a stationary charging table.

In Figure 19 a stationary bar pusher, and stationary charging table are shown in operative relation with respect to a furnace, and same are adapted to carry out my invention in another form which in some in-T stances have wall 1 between them; 5 indicates a movable charging truck, operating on a track 6 which extendsjalong the charging ends of the fur naces as shown. 7 is a traveling bar pusher which operates on a track 8, in parallel re lation with the track 6.

The furnace 1 is of the ordinary continuous type of pair heating furnace, having side walls 9, 10, a cast steel hearth 11, with angular inclined grooves 12'to support the sheet and tinplate bars 13in inclined and reversed positions illustrated in Figure 7. Any of the usual methods of heating such furnaces may be used, and for purpose of illustration I have showngas inlets atla for this purpose. The furnaces at 2 and 3 are of slmilar deslgn to the furnace 1, and

v serve practically the same'uses.

The movable charging-truck 5 has a number of angular grooves 15. similar to the grooves 12 of the furnace hearth and with the same angle of inclination with the vertical, and as may be seen in the Figures 1 and Gsaid grooves are adapted to support in slidable position a collection" of the bars 16. The said truck 5 is provided with axles, 17, journals 18, and wheels 19 adapted to enable said truck to be moved along the track 6 to serve the furnaces 1, 2, and 3, etc; Figure 10 shows in detail the edges 20 of the truck top, having grooves 21, for the purpose of engaging the flange ofthe movable head 22 of the bar pusher 7, as will be explained below.

The traveling bar pusher 7 consists of the following parts. A metal frame. 23 is provided having a horizontal plate portion 2 1, and a parallelhorizontalplate'portion 25, with suitable stiffening ribs 26, 27, to 31 inclusive. Two upstanding webs 32, 33 having inwardly turned flanges 3a which are machine finished, furnish the ways on which the movable head 22 slidably operates pin 11 having branches 42, 13 adapted to engage the projecting ribs er, 45 of the.

charging truck 5 are shown, in order to hold the pusher and charging truck in alignment when desired. It is also seen that the pins 41 are carried in raised bosses 46 forming part of the pusher frame 23, and that said pins 11 may be retracted to the dotted position 17 thereby releasing the truck from the pusher when necessary. The purpose of these pins is to provide a means of locking the pusher 7 and the truck 5 together when the grooves 12, 15 and the complementary teeth 77 of the pusher head 22 have been aligned preparatory for charging the bars 16 into the furnace 1. It is noted that the truck 5 or the pusher 7 is locked to the tracks 6 or 8 in front of the furnace 1 by any suitable locking device (not shown), when they are in proper position.

Means of propulsion for the bar pusher 7 as a whole is shown by the motor 49, drive chain 50, and sprocket 51, which last is rigidly mounted on the axle 39, so that the bar pusher thus travels along track 8 under its own power.

The metal frame 23 in addition to the upstanding webs 32, 33 is provided with trans verse upstanding webs 52, 53 and 54. The web plates 52, 53 as shown clearly in Figures 8 and 9 have a vertical rib 55 between them, and said cross-rib 55has a longitudinally disposed portion 56'which is machined on top to provide a finished way on which a portion of the movable head 22 slidably opcrates, as will be explained below.

A threaded screw 57 of large diameter, and having large cut threads is mounted on the horizontally disposed part 25 in bearings 58 and '59, and carries a sprocket wheel 60. The latter 60, is driven by a chain 61 from a motor 62, carried by the horizontal plate 24:.

The movable head 22 of the said pusher 7 comprises a horizontal plate portion 63 which extends from points 67 to 68 as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4: and 8. The part 63 has two longitudinal depending flanges 69, which slidably engage the inside of the inwardly extending flanges 34 of the frame 23 before described. A nut 70 is threaded over the screw 57 and rigidly attached to the part 63 of the head 22, so that when motor 62 operates sprocket and screw 57, the nut 7 0 is worked or advanced along the latter and carries head 22 forward on the slidable ways 3a,. as is at once understood; and similarly the head 22 is retracted by reversing the motor 62, to the position shown in Fig-- ure 5.

Attention is called to the method of preventing binding or locking of the nut against the bearing parts 58, and the threads of the screw 57, when the head 22 is in the extreme extended position. Two complementary concave and convex washers 72, 73, Figures 5, 13, 1% and 15 are loosely carried on the screw 57, and said washers are of suflicient thickness as will prevent them engaging in the threads of the screw 57. As the nut 70 advances on the screw 57 to an extreme position, the washer 72 engages against the parts of the bearin 58 and washer 73 in turn engages washer 72, but as the washer 73 is convex and bears against a complementary concave washer 72, it is at once seen that the jamming action is less than it would be between two flat surfaces,

The movable head 22 is stiffened by the upstanding rim 74 which extends around the edges of the head 22 as shown in the Flgureol. A proj ecting downstandmg flange 75 extends beneath. the plate 63 transversely of the head and said flange is stiffened by a series of short ribs 76 extending to the plate 63. The flange 75 is saw-toothed in shape and complementary to the grooves 15 of the charging truck and hearth grooves 12. So that when the movable head 22 is advanced by the motor 62 the teeth 77 enter the grooves 15 when in proper alignment in front of the furnace 1 in charging position.

Two side plates 7 8, 79 rigidly attached to the upstanding flange 7 4c of the head 22, and having bent inwardly turned machined portions 80 adapted to slidably engageon the machined rib 56 before described as forming part of the frame 23, are provided to carry the weight ofthe' head 22 while in a re-.

tracted position on the pusher 7. It is seen that the lower edges of the side plates 78, 79 are cut] away slightly at 81, so thatafter the head has been in extended position on the charging truck, the return of the said plates 7 8, 79 is readily accomplished, as the portions 81 of same will easily engage on the top of the rib 56.

In connection with the movable truck, it will be noted that as the head 22 is advanced over the truck 5, after the alignment of the grooves 12, and 15 has been accomplished, and the teeth 77 also being in alignment, the flanges 8O engage the grooves 21 in the top sides of the truck 5 before described, in order to guide the head 22 and teeth 77 in the said grooves 15, as is readily appreciated. I

In carrying out my novel method of charging sheet and tinplate bars, I proceed as follows. The bars 16 are piled by hand in the grooves 15 of the charging truck 5,

the truck being pushed by hand or by using the pusher to pull the charging truck to the place of supply. The bars 16 are piled in the said grooves 15 so that they will be in reversed position 82 to those being heated within the furnace and indicated by 83, so that when bars 82 are advanced they will engage the adjacent ends of the bars 83 in crossed relation as shown in Figure 6, and

thereby advance the heated bars 83to make repeated. The advantages of such a method is then moved up to the charging'truch 5 so that the teeth 77 of the pusher head 22 align with the grooves 15, and the forked locking pins 41 areengaged with the ribs 4rd, and 45 *of the truck 5, thus locking the truck and advances the movable head 22 and the bars 16 into thefurnace 1 aforesaid. The head 22 can then be retracted by reversing the motor 62.

Yihen onefurnace suchas 1 is charged in this way, the other furnaces 2 and}; can

similarly be charged by moving the pusher and truck which are operatively connected to eachother, to positions in front of each of thefurnaces, and the charging operation of charging either a single furnace by means of the gang or simultaneous movement of material from the truck 5 to the furnace hearth 11,is at once apparent, and it is further seen the time and facility gained in handling material where a series of heating furnaces are charged in this way by the use of a single truck and bar pusher is still greater than where only one furnace is so operated.

With reference to the modified form of m invention in the Figures 16 17 "of the 3 7 85 similar to the grooves 21 in the top of the said truck 5, and for the same purpose, namely to receive the flange 80 of the pusher head as before explained.

As shown in the Figure 18, a series of heating furnaces 86, 87, 88 each having a sta tionary charging table 89 in front of same, likethc one illustrated in Figures 16 and 17 is provided and also a traveling bar pusher 7 with its traclrS running transversely in front of'the charging end of the furnaces is used.

I11 practising the modified method 1 proceed as follows. Each stationary charging table 89 is loaded with a collection of bars in "similar fashionto that described in connection with the charging truck 5; the teeth of the traveling pusher head 22 are brought into alignment with the grooves of the charging table and locked in position by using the forked locking pin 4-1, or by lock-j ing the bar pusher to thetrack 8. It is of course understood that the grooves of the charging table 89 are'constructed in permanent alignment with the'grooves of the in front of the various furnaces 87, 88 etc. and in turn. charge them with bars whlch have been placed on their respective charging tables. Thus it isseenthat a single bar pusher? can be user to charge a series of heating furnaces quickly, and thereby fa cilitatc very much by the use of the gang or simultaneous method of charging the bars, the whole operation of such furnaces.

Another modified form of my invention is illustrated by the elevational view shown in Figure 19, in which a stationary bar pusher 90, and a. stationary charging'table 91 are used. Figure 1 of the drawingsshows a plan view of this arrangement of devices,

with exceptions noted below. The charging table 91 is'like that shown in Figures 16 and 1'? having the grooves 84?, and 85 as before described. The furnace 92 also is constructed asbefore with a grooved hearth 1.1 similar to furnace 1. The bar pusher 90 is practically aduplicate of the movable pusher 7 except that the parts which have to do with its mobility such asthe motor 4-9 and its accompanying parts, the wheels 10,

and accompanying parts are eliminated. The locking pins 41 are also removed as being unnecessary. fThe supporting beams 36 are mounted directly on the concrete foundation 93 and anchor bolts 94- used to hold them in place. It is understood the bar pusher 90, table 91 and the furnace 92 are located. in proper longitudinal alignment, so that the teeth of the pusher head 95 enter the grooves of both the table and furnace hearth.

in using this last described arrangement devices practically the same method is followed as when the movable pusher 7 is used in connection witha stationary table 89 and furnace 86, except that the pusher 90 being already fixed no aligning adjustment of the pusher is necessary. The'bars being merely arranged on the table 91 and the pusher head 95 operated to advance a full charge of bars-into the furnace 92.

From the above description it is seen that I have provided a very efiicient method and machine for charging sheet and tinplate bars into heatingfurnaces, and of especial 1 ,aoaose value, when used with the Allis patented hearth before mentioned in this specification, and with the method of charging sheetbars described in the Patent Number 1,046,933 above referred to.

lVhat I claim is 1. In combination, a charging table having a pair of guide grooves, and a transverse series of material carrying grooves formed thereon; a bar pusher having a head provided with a plurality of transversely arranged teeth formed complementary to and adapted to slidably engage the material carrying grooves of the charging table, and a pair of inwardly turned flanges on the sides of the pusher head adapted to enter the complementary guiding grooves of said charging table to insure smooth operation of the pusher head teeth along the charging table grooves.

2. In combination, a charging table having a pair of guide grooves, and a transverse series of material carrying grooves formed thereon; a bar pusher, having a head provided with a plurality of complementary teeth adapted to slidably engage the charging table grooves, a pair f inwardly turned flanges on the sides of the pusher head adapted to enter thecomplementary guide grooves of the charging table, and means for positively aligning the flanges of the pusher head and the guide grooves of said charging table to insure proper operative engagement of the pusher head flanges with the guide grooves aforesaid.

3. Incombination, a charging table ing a transverse series of material carrying grooves, a bar pusher head having a plurality of transversely arranged saw-tooth teeth formed complementary to and adapted to slidably engage the grooves of the charging table, and means for positively aligning and holding the transverse .teethof the pusher head. and the charging table grooves in proper position while the said teeth are advanced along the grooves of the charging table.

4. In combination, a changing table having a pair of guide grooves, and a transversely arranged series of longitudinally disposed grooves formed thereon, a bar pusher comprising a supporting frame, a reciprocating pusher head slidably mounted on the said frame, a phuality of trans versely arranged saw-tooth shaped teeth on the pusher head, a pair of inwardly turned flanges formed on the sides of the pusher head, adapted to engage the complementary guide grooves of the charging table, and means for reciprocating the pusher head alon the supporting frame and grooves of the c arging table.

hav-

In combinatioma charging table having a transverse series of material carrying grooves, a bar pusher comprising a supporting frame, areciprocat-ing pusher head slidably mounted on said frame, a plurality of frame, a plurality of transversely arranged saw-tooth teeth formed on the pusher head adapted to slida bly; engage the material carrying grooves of the charging table, means for positively aligning. and holdin the pusher head teeth and the charging table grooves in proper operative position comprising a forked locking pin slidably mounted in the supporting frame of the pusher, and adapted to engage about the above mentioned projecting flange formed on the said charging table.

7.- In a bar pusher, a pusher head having a plurality of transversely arranged sawteeth formed thereon, reciprocating means for operating the pusher head in a longitudinal direction, a pair of inwardly turned guide flanges on the sides of the pusher head, and means co-operating with said guide flanges for insuring positive movement of the saw-teeth in a straight line, when the reciprocating means is operated.

'8. In a bar pusher, a pusher head having a series of saw-teeth formed thereon, means for reciprocating the pusher head, and means for insuring the positive movement of the saw-teeth in a straight line,'when the re" ciprocating means is operated;

9. A bar pusher, comprising a supporting frame, a pusher. head slidably mounted on said frame, a series of transversely arranged saw-teeth on the pusher head, means for re-. ciprocating the pusher head, and a forked locking pin slidably mounted in the supporting frame for holding the pusher in fixed position when the pusher head is reciprocated. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

' THOMAS V. ALLIS.

Witnesses:

BEATRICE FITZGERALD, WILLIAM A. HIRTLE. 

